LVMPD: Sex offender William Snider had long history with officers

LAS VEGAS (KSNV News3LV) - LVMPD say 57-year-old William Snider was a disturbed man with a long history of contact with the police. The convicted child sex offender was shot and killed by SWAT snipers on Sunday.

"The officers observed Snider come out of his house with an assault rifle several times. He exited the front door, stood around in the driveway and then would go right back inside his house," said LVMPD Undersheriff Kevin McMahill at Thursday's press conference.

It turns out that Snider was a registered Tier 2 sex offender who had served prison time for sex crimes against children in his own family. But that was hardly the only contact he'd had with police.

In the past ten years, officers say they had been called to Snider's home more than 40 times. Usually the calls were made by him. Officers say he would report everything from suspicious activity he'd witnessed, to disputes with neighbors. In many of those calls officers say his tone and the context can only be described as bizarre.

"He told officers that a neighbor and 8 to 12 people were planting bugs and cameras inside his residence. He accused a neighbor of hiding in his closet for days at a time," said McMahill.

McMahill adds that Snider was once even taken in on a legal 2000. That's a mental health hold.

His long history with the department ended on Sunday when officers say they had no choice but to shoot.